Jeffrey AronsonI’m addicted to history, personally and professionally. I drive old vehicles and live in a wood-heated old house; when presented with the opportunity to spend time in a 1775 house (with an 1815 addition), I jumped at the opportunity.
Even better, the steward of the Apgar Stone House, Finesville, NJ, has impeccable Land Rover credentials. Jeff Finegan, a life-long resident of that area, and his wife, Kim, undertook the renovation and restoration of the house. The combination of enjoying a historic house and spending time with a published historian and Series Land Rover enthusiast lured me into an AirBnb rental of the stunning house last March.
I drove my ’98 Discovery I, named Nadja, from Maine to New Jersey, stopping in Staten Island to entice Nadia Capasso (who named the Discovery) and her sister Hannah to join me for the mini vacation. Unfairly, the historic counties of New Jersey get short shrift from US history snobs from New England – such as me. While Maine languished as a wilderness outpost of colonial Massachusetts, the northern New Jersey counties, particularly those bordering the Delaware Water Gap, thrived and played significant roles during our colonial period. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington chose the adjacent Morris County as his winter headquarters.
That proximity engaged Jeff Finegan to research and write several books on George Washington’s personal life, all on display in the parlor of the Apgar Stone House. I don’t know which fascinated me more; Jeff’s compelling books, some of which I read while there, or the story behind his ‘81 RHD Series III.
The Finegan family history includes a 1974 childhood visit by Jeff and his brother John to Kenya and then-Rhodesia. Jeff recounted, “I don’t know why my father, Jim, and mother, Rosalie, wanted us to visit African countries – they had no obvious connection – but we wound up in a convoy all the way to Mt. Kenya. We even spent a night in Treetops, where in 1952, then-princess Elizabeth received the news that she had become Queen Elizabeth II.”
Jeff never lost his fascination with that journey; 50 years later in 2024, he became determined revisit the region with his sons, Peter and Jeffrey Jr. This time, they wound up at the Mt. Kenya Safari Club, from which they took day safaris with local guides and experts. “Calvin, our guide,” said Jeff, “had an incredible sense of humor. As we stayed at the club for five days, and visited local shops, we enjoyed immersing ourselves in the local cultures.”
The British Nayati Barracks, housed at a Kenyan military base in Nanyuki near the Safari Club, explained why Jeff and Kim often saw Series Land Rovers pass by. Jeff remembered telling Kim, “I have to get one of those” – which he did – after his return. During my visit, Jeff showed me his ’81 Series III RHD, complete with the Mt. Kenya Safari club logo, an East Africa Wildlife Society grill badge and a Tanzania Tours door logo, in front of the barn at his historic house.
Jeff had the Series shipped over to New Jersey, and a nearby British car specialist put it into fine fettle. He let me take it out for a drive along the narrow road tracing the Musconetcong River. The Land Rover idled and accelerated smoothly, shifted comfortably and braked cleanly throughout the drive. I could have kept going back to Maine in it.
When Jeff finishes his daily work at a generations-old family business, he puts on his barn jacket to feed a flock of sheep, a few pigs and two well-fed, indolent cows, in barns and pens beside and behind the house. The Series III serves as a constant reminder of the impact the African continent has made on him. “After trips to Africa,” Jeff said, “you’ll never be the same – it’s life altering. Africa is truly amazing.” A drive in a Series III, time in a historic house, and rubbing elbows with a few farm animals; on a smaller scale, so, too, our mini vacation at the 18th century Apgar Stone House felt rather amazing.
During most of the year, my three Land Rovers form an outsized percentage of the island’s total. That percentage diminished when an island resident contacted me last Fall expressing her desire to purchase a Land Rover to use seasonally as an island vehicle. Would I help her find one? Or to my thinking, would I help someone spend their money on a Land Rover nicer than anything I could afford? That decision was easy.
The criteria were strict: manual transmission, room in the rear for trash runs to our dump, rear wheel-well bench seats for two dogs, a canvas top with roll-up rear and side flaps. She did not want a project nor a high-priced restoration or customization. Over the decades, she had seen my Series Land Rovers and, upon discussion, we concluded that they might be too primitive for her needs. I shared some photos of NAS Defender 90s which piqued her interest, and we began the search.
Early NAS Defenders came stock as soft-top, 5 speed manuals with V8 engines. Calls to enthusiasts and specialists in the Northeast resulted in original, low-mileage Defenders above her budget or alternatively, vehicles that would soon need substantial rebuilds. Specialists in the South had a wider selection, especially of the soft tops, with less frame and bulkhead corrosion. After a number of online searches, email exchanges and phone calls, she settled on one available through Ken Jagolta’s Surfside 4×4 in Pompano Beach, FL.
Would I be willing to inspect the Defender for her – travel to Florida in February? Hmm, let’s see. The island’s temperature hovered around 36 F, while Pompano Beach basked at 77 F. Could I stand the heat for a few days? I’m tough, so I agreed.
Full disclosure: my automotive talents have aroused concern on the island. A recent trip on our ferry opened with the captain alerting the crew to “put Jeff’s Land Rover in the center row in case we need to tow him off.” I had my own concerns about my ability to assess a Land Rover, which is why I solicited advice from Rovers North. Still, the Florida warmth enticed me.
I arrived at Surfside 4×4 to find “Lola,” a ’95 NAS Defender, waiting for inspection. Her AA Yellow paint had faded in spots under the Texas and Florida sun of her previous owners, but the interior looked intact and everything worked. I crawled under the Defender and pounded the frame with a hammer; each strike rang with a clean tone. Although it had been driven by Ken often, the transfer case, transmission and axles showed no leaks (yes, they had gear oil in them). The bulkhead looked free of rust and the maintenance and repair histories appeared promising. The Defender had not been “cleaned and prepped,” which made the inspection easier. A longish drive revealed no drivetrain quirks or issues. For a couple of days, I could experience “ownership” of an NAS Defender.
I prepared a long inspection report, including a few caveats, and sent it to the prospective owner. She now enjoys her first-ever Defender and I now know the thrill of buying an Land Rover on someone else’s dime!
Last year, Sarah Crabtree, Dover, PA, shared her Series Land Rover restoration story in our Summer 2025 issue. As a student at the Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Automotive program, Sarah wanted a vehicle as her senior year project. Her father, Thomas, had purchased a very used Series ’71 Series IIA, and agreed that Sarah should rebuild it. The final painting and assembly occurred after graduation, but she finished it in time for the Greenbrier Concours this May, held on the grounds of the majestic resort in White Sulphuric Springs, WV. Over 80 vehicles gained entry for the judges’ gimlet eyes, yet Sarah’s Land Rover garnered a podium finish. Bryan Raab Davis, covering the event for Hemmings, wrote, “We don’t recall the last time we saw a Land Rover as nice as Sarah Crabtree’s 1971 example. The judges agreed, and the off-roader took the ACCA Spirit of the Hobby Award.” Given the high level of the restorations permitted on the show field (this writer saw one vehicle displayed at Pebble Beach last year), both the Land Rover and Sarah deserve high praise, indeed!
[For more information, search www.airbnb.com for Apgar Stone House; www.Surfisde4x4.com, www.Greenbrier.com -ed.]
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